


he fled to the river's edge

by deadasadoorknob



Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Afterlife, Character Death, Love Confessions, M/M, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 13:28:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21180194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadasadoorknob/pseuds/deadasadoorknob
Summary: As Robert Lightwood died - all he could think about was his deceased son Max, as well as his long-lost Parabatai.





	he fled to the river's edge

Robert Lightwood crumpled like a rag-doll, his calming words dying on his tongue. Pain rocketed through his poor body as it fought to defend him from the sword that protruded from his chest. It stood out starkly against his dark clothes as he lay there, fear clouding his panicked thoughts as he took in the scene around him.

Shadowhunters ran to-and-fro, and their desperate screams were muffled for some reason. A shadow passed over him and he managed to decipher Annabel Blackthorn's thin face through her long hair.

'Help me, I-I'm scared...' He whimpered up at the Lady Midnight, remnants of childhood fear caused by her fable resurfacing as he looked into her cold eyes.

'Go to Hell.' She murmured, before reaching and tugging the sword out of his chest. Blood bubbled at Robert's lips like sea foam as she faded from his vision.

He envisioned a riverbank, with a small man lying beside it. Another figure crouched beside him, singing quietly to his dying friend. He looked up at the sun, tears rolling down his cheeks. Robert saw within his rugged strong face and coal-black hair that it was indeed himself. A red circle throbbed on his collarbone, practically screaming all of Robert's mistakes and failures. 

The tide lapped softly at the shivering body initially, before drawing back and washing over him completely. When it finally receded, Michael Wayland was lying dead in the muddy bank - his hazel eyes open wide as if he couldn't quite believe his fate.

Robert watched as his younger self stumbled to his feet, black button-up shirt torn open to reveal a scar-riddled torso. He turned around and screeched to the Heavens:

_'WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?'___

_ _Then the memory disintegrated and Robert Lightwood was left standing in darkness. He wondered around in the shadows for a long time, breathing heavily although he knew that breath wasn't necessary anymore. _ _

_ _He shakily brought up a bony finger and traced the area on his throat where the circle had once stood. On this finger was his silver wedding ring, bought for him by Maryse all those years ago. As he tore it off his finger and threw it into the surrounding darkness, he thought of his children. Alexander, Isabelle, and Max._ _

_ _They were so beautiful. And he'd been forced to leave them behind._ _

_ _But wait - _what about Max?____ _

_ _ _ _Although he didn't particularly believe in Heaven or Hell, didn't their existence mean that Robert and his youngest son would be reunited? _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Memories flooded back from a time when Mike's curls were being particularly unruly, one flopping over his cheek. Robert remembered how he'd lovingly brushed the curl off his friend's cheek only for it to return moments later._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Mike hated his curls. Robert thought they were beautiful._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He ran, screeching his son and Parabatai's names, unsure of where he was going to but then deciding that he didn't really care. He continued to flee the darkness until he stumbled into a flower-covered meadow._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Bending over as his chest tightened painfully, Robert huffed as he regained some strength. Then he heard somebody chuckling behind him and turned to see Michael Wayland staring at him from the top of a slope._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _'Are you alright, old man?' Mike said teasingly, his curls bouncing as he laughed._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _'Mike.'___ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Robert staggered up the hill and into his Parabatai's arms, pressing his nose into Mike's pale neck and breathing in deeply. Mike was chuckling softly in his ear as Robert's hands grabbed at his back weakly._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'I'm so sorry.' Robert breathed into Mike's ear, as his best friend grabbed his neck and brought their foreheads together. 'How can you ever forgive me-'_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Although he hadn't cried since Mike had died beside that river over a decade ago, he sobbed unconditionally as he wrapped his arms around his friend's lithe frame._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'There's nothing to be forgiven for.' Mike murmured in reply._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Then they were kissing tentatively, smiling against each other's lips and Robert continued muttering his mantra of apologies. Robert looked into those green-grey eyes and finally felt at peace with him. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Robert gently pressed Mike down into the grass as he climbed on top of him, slipping off the younger man's lace shirt and pants. They made love, Robert grinding down into Mike's tight heat as they moved as one. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Mike yelped as Robert's head pressed against his sweet spot, causing Robert to startle as he worried that he'd hurt his lover. But Mike was looking up at him was so much love and adoration in his gaze and that caused all the negative thoughts to disappear._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _They clung to each other as they chased their climax's, Robert finally cumming with his nose buried within Mike's lavender-scented curls._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Afterward, they lay together and talked about everything. Mike tucked his head into the crook of Robert's neck and cried as he confessed his love for him._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'I had fallen in love with you by the end of school.' Mike whispered._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'Seriously?' Robert replied dubiously, 'I'd fallen in love with you within an hour of when we first met. I just didn't want to admit it to myself.'_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Mike blinked at him through shiny eyes. 'Really?'_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'Really.'_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Then his lover jumped to his feet, and he looked more like an angel than ever with the sun setting behind him. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'I've got somebody who's desperate to see you.'_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _'Who?' Robert asked, but he already knew who it was._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _A young boy, around ten-years-old, came running out of the bushes and towards them. He had stark-black hair and warm blue eyes magnified behind crooked glasses._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _'MAX!'___ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Robert ran in the direction towards his sun, oblivious to the years melting off of his body. By the time he and Max embraced, Robert had resumed the body of his twenty-six-year-old self. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _He and Max spent a long time murmuring their love for each other, before turning and wandering back towards where Mike stood behind them. As Robert stood close with his two loved ones, he knew he'd be alright - he'd be reunited with the rest of his family soon enough. But not too soon - his children had so much to live for._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Robert Lightwood felt content._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
